Many people ask the question: Who was Moses in the Bible? Throughout scripture, there are few Biblical figures as prominent and well known as Moses. Known as a prophet and important leader, Moses' life is crucial to understanding the importance of the Old Testament, and also the broader context of Biblical theology. His impact throughout the Bible continually inspires Christians today to learn and grow by examining his life changing challenges, revelations, and victories.
In this post, we will be exploring Moses' early life, his life calling from God, his leadership in the Exodus, the Ten Commandments, his challenges in the wilderness, his legacy, and the lessons that we can learn.
Early Life of Moses
During Moses' early life, there was a time of difficulty for the Israelites living in ancient Egypt. During this time, Pharaoh, the leader of Egypt, had a lot of concerns regarding the Hebrew slave population continuing to grow. Because of this, he placed an order to kill all of the male Hebrew infants (Exodus 1:22). To protect her newborn child, Moses' mother, Jochebed, placed him in a basket and set Moses in the Nile River to try to save his life. Moses was then later found down the river by Pharaoh's daughter, who then took Moses and raised him as her own (Exodus 2:1-10).
Although Moses was born as a Hebrew, he was raised as a member of Pharaoh's home, which later made a big impact on his life later. Growing up with two different cultures was challenging for Moses, as he enjoyed the privileges and benefits of Egyptian royalty, but he still loves his Hebrew roots and culture. With this special background, Moses would later feel empowered to confront Pharaoh and lead the Israelite people out of their slavery.
Moses' early life helps remind us that God continues to work through ordinary circumstances to help accomplish extraordinary things.
Moses' Calling
One of Moses' most important moments of his life was his encounter with God on Mount Horeb. While Moses was on the mountain taking care of his sheep, one of the bushes near him suddenly caught on fire, but the bush didn't burn up. When Moses approached the bush, God called out to Moses from the bush, and God appeared within the flames. God said to Moses that he had seen the misery and slavery of the Israelites, and He wanted to free them out of the slavery that Pharaoh had put them into (Exodus 3). At first, Moses hesitated, as his communication skills were extremely poor, and he did doubted his ability to be a leader and speaker on God's behalf. However, God continued to reassure Moses and provided him signs and miracles to encourage and support him to go to Egypt.
This incredible moment for Moses was a divine calling from God, a recurring theme throughout the Bible with many other leaders. Moses' journey from a shepherd to a important leader of the Israelites highlights how God can empower the people that He chooses. Regardless of your doubts, previous mistakes, or skillset, God calls believers to trust in His plans and embrace the talents that He gives us to embrace the tasks that may feel like too much.
Leading the Exodus
The Exodus is considered to be the most important moments of Moses' story. In the story of the Exodus, God uses ten different plagues to show off His power and expose Pharaoh's weakness, which then led to the freedom of the Israelites living in slavery (Exodus 7-12). With each of the ten plagues, they all targeted a different Egyptian god, which demonstrated God's ultimate power and superiority over the other fake Egyptian gods.
During the Exodus, one of the most miraculous moments was the Israelites crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 14). As Pharaoh's armies chased the Israelites, God commanded Moses to raise his hands over the sea, and then He parted the waters for the Israelites to cross through. When the Egyptian armies tried to follow the Israelites, the sea walls fell onto them and drowned all of Pharaoh's army. This turning point for the Israelites symbolizes the faithfulness that God brings in delivering His people.
The Exodus is not just a historical event in the Bible, but it has a much deeper meaning for Christians. The Exodus foreshadows salvation through Christ, who guides believers from the chains and bondage of sin into the freedom of grace from God.
The Ten Commandments and Mosaic Law
While Moses was leading the Israelite people, he brought them to Mount Sinai, where he received the Ten Commandments from God. These commandments serve a moral and spiritual guide for the Israelites and believers today (Exodus 20). These Ten Commandments, which were put into stone by God's hand, helped to lay the foundation for Judeo-Christian ethics. These commandments mainly focus on things such as human relationships with God (the first of the four commandments) and with each other (the final six).
In addition to receiving the Ten Commandments, Moses was given instructions known as the Mosaic Law. These laws regulated many parts of the Israelite lives, including worship, justice, and daily activities (Exodus 21-40). While some of the laws were tailored to ancient context, many others include universal principles of morality and justice.
With these events, Moses cemented his role as a leader who was connected to God's will. Moses' meticulous mediation between God and the Israelite people shows the significant of obedience to God's will and the path to a relationship with Him.
Challenges During the Wilderness Journey
Throughout Moses' 40 years in the wilderness with the Israelites, he faced many things that challenged his leadership. Even though the Israelite people witnessed miraculous events and miracles, they constantly complained about Moses and they question God bringing them through their hardship. Moses and the Israelites faced many challenges including:
Provision of manna and water: God continually provided manna from Heaven to nourish the Israelites (Exodus 16) and gave them water from Moses striking a rock to quench their thirst (Exodus 17). These miracles from God showed both His care and also foreshadowed Christ as the "bread of life" and the source of "living water".
Rebellion and doubt: With incidents like the golden calf event (Exodus 32), they highlighted the Israelite peoples' many struggles with things like faith and idolatry. Moses interceded for them, which helped demonstrate his role as a mediator for the people.
Through these many trials in the wilderness, Moses displayed much patience, humility, and unwavering faith. With his perseverance, is serves as a great reminder to all leaders today about the importance of trusting God, even during challenges and opposition of others.
The Legacy and Death of Moses
Moses' life reached a poignant end on Mount Nebo, where he gazed upon the Promised Land, but was denied entry (Deuteronomy 34). This denial came from his disobedience when Moses struck the rock as Meribah (Numbers 20). Even so, Moses' death signified the end of a tedious and fantastic journey, with the Bible stating that Moses passed at the ripe age of 120.
Moses' legacy goes above his earthly life. In the New Testament, he is honored as both a prophet and a forerunner to Christ. With the event of Jesus' transfiguration, where Moses appears alongside Elijah, it highlights his crucial role in the narrative of redemption (Matthew 17:1-3).
Lessons from Moses' Life
So what can we learn from Moses' life throughout the Bible?
Humility in Leadership: Despite Moses' significant position, Moses was usually described as "very meek, more than all people" (Numbers 12:3). Genuine leadership usually emphasizes more service, rather than being boastful or egotistic.
Faith in God's Promises: Moses placed his full trust in God to fulfill all of His promises, even when the path forward looked or seemed unclear to him.
Obedience and Perseverance: Moses' journey emphasizes the necessity of aligning actions with God's will, even in the face of adversity.
Moses also serves as a precursor to Jesus Christ, the ultimate mediator and redeemer. Just as Moses helped guide the Israelites out of a physical slavery, Jesus liberates believers from their spiritual chains.
Conclusion
Moses' life is an incredible mix of faith, leadership, and divine purpose. From his fascinating rescue as a baby in Egypt, to his pivotal role as a deliverer, lawgiver, and prophet, Moses is a monumental figure in Biblical history. His continued dedication to God's divine calling for his life and his resilience in the face of challenges and adversity provide many lessons for believers today.
As we contemplate on Moses' journey, believers should continue to examine his life to be inspired to live life with faith, humility, and obedience to God, trusting in His plans even when the path ahead is unclear. Just as Moses guided his people to the Promised Land, we as believers are invited to walk with God toward His promises for us.